Werewolf by Night director Michael Giacchino has addressed why the Disney+ special doesn't explicitly state when it takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In an interview with Collider, Giacchino revealed that he never had a discussion with Marvel Studios about when in the MCU timeline Werewolf by Night would take place. "The one thing we all agreed on is it takes place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, it's in there. We never say when, how or why," the director explained. "That was a big choice that we just said... I felt like they have done so brilliantly this whole interweaving connecting world between all of these characters over the past how many years. And I didn't know how to improve upon that. I didn't know how to make that better or bring something new to that.”
Although the special never addresses its place in the MCU, Giacchino mentioned that he does have "a very specific idea of how [Werewolf by Night] fits into everything," but that it will remain known only to him as he doesn't want to contradict anything Marvel might announce in the future. However, with the release of Werewolf by Night, Disney+ has updated its Marvel Studios section called, "Marvel Cinematic Universe in Timeline Order," placing the Disney+ special as the furthest point in the MCU timeline after the events of Ms. Marvel and Thor: Love and Thunder. This suggests that Werewolf by Night takes place in or around 2025, which is when Ms. Marvel's first season was set.
Werewolves and Man-Things Enter the MCU
Werewolf by Night has introduced audiences to a new corner of the MCU, one that is filled with frightful monsters and those that hunt them. Gael García Bernal leads the Disney+ special as the titular lycanthropic character while Laura Donnelly co-stars as Elsa Bloodstone, the estranged daughter of Ulysses Bloodstone, who dislikes her family's tradition of hunting monsters. In addition to werewolves and monster hunters, the special featured the first official MCU appearance of Man-Thing, a swamp creature that has already won over the hearts of many a fan.
Set at Bloodstone Temple, Werewolf by Night follows a secret cabal of monster hunters who are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic. Reviews for Werewolf by Night have been overwhelmingly positive, with critics praising the special's use of practical effects, the black-and-white cinematography, lead performances and Giacchino's direction and score.
Werewolf by Night is now available to stream on Disney+.
Source: Collider